Guido has had three calls today, obviously coincidental, from hacks asking how this blog is financed. (Clue: can you spot any adverts?)

Rajeev Syal said he was calling from the Guardian, although Guido thought he was the Observer’sinvestigations editor, we talked about how much the Guardian was making from Tory adverts on their website, the tax advantages of the ownership structure of the Scott Trust and the Scott Trust’s use of Cayman’s registered offshore companies to buy the EMAP magazine group. He asked Guido similar questions, than an odd one popped up:

Q.Has Lord Ashcroft or his representatives offered to buy you?A.If he wants to pay a couple of million, c’mon down Michael.Q.So you would sell?A.If James Murdoch is interested and the price is right he can have it as well, tell Alan Rusbridger to send over his bid too.

So apart from natural curiosity as to who is trying to plant the story, Guido wonders: what headline is Rajeev aiming at?